This invention relates generally to a particularly styled compressor for application in the initial compacting of the slurry of the absorbent bed of particles used within chromatographic columns as employed in chromatography. The type of chromatography of concern relates to high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), where the columns to be packed can be employed in analytical, semipreparative, preparative, or a process column for use in chromatography. As is well known in the art, chromatographic columns are generally fabricated of some metal, such as stainless, in the tubular form, and contain a slurried bed of particles that function to separate various chemicals that are passed through it, at pressures that may range anywhere from just higher than atmospheric and up to the extremely high pressures in the range of 2000 to 4000 psi. Through this function the chemical or chemicals passing through the absorbent bed are generally separated into their desired elements, or constituents, so that the various elements desired can be obtained, or analysis of the chemical passing through the columns can be made. As one can readily understand, the degree of compactness of the slurry of the absorbent bed contained within the chromatographic column or columns must be maintained at a very high and required density, in order to achieve the most efficient and effective results from the chromatography procedure.
The art of chromatography has long been available to the field of chemistry. Generally, the packing of the slurry bed within the preparative columns was usually performed by the suspension of the bed particles in a liquid of low viscosity and density and which was forced into the columns at a constant flow-rate, usually in an upward vertical direction. Thus, while this generalized statement of the prior art indicates that the slurry bed, in the past, was packed under pressure within the chromatographic columns, that method of packing normally could not attain the fine degree of compactness for the bed within the column, and within that range of density as not only as desired, but required, in order to attain the most effective usage of the columns during the performance of a chromatographic process. And, where dry packing of the columns is required, as has also been done in the prior art, normally the absorbent bed of particles was simply delivered into the column, and packed in this manner. But, as can be readily understood, technical difficulties would usually arise with such packed columns, said during their usage, normally exhibited in the formation of bubbles or air pockets, be they ever so small, yet captured within the packed bed.
In view of the foregoing, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a compressor, preferably one fabricated of a polymer, or other material, or perhaps even of a metal such as stainless, and which is constructed to particular dimensions to provide for its very contiguous arrangement within the interior of the column after an ample supply of the absorbent material has been deposited therein, and which compressor is then subjected to hydraulic or otherwise pressure to provide for a full compacting of the bed into its more effective and efficient usable state.
Another object of this invention is to provide a compressor that is particularly useful when applied in conjunction with a liquified slurry of an absorbent bed of particles as delivered into chromatographic column(s) during their initial or prepacking.
A further object of this invention is to provide a particularly effective compressor for use in conjunction with a pair or more of chromatographic columns that are coupled together, filled with that quantity of a slurry of the absorbent bed of material to an amount that is designed for providing for at least the fully compaction of a bed within at least the bottom column, to provide for a prepacked preparative column that will be ready for providing very precise functioning for chemical separation, absorption, or analysis, during its use in the performance of chromatography.
These and other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the summary of this invention, and upon undertaking a study of the description of the preferred embodiment, in view of the drawing.